X-ray absorption and photoelectron spectroscopy investigation of selenite reduction by Fe-bearing minerals

The long-lived radionuclide ⁷⁹Se is one of the elements of concern for the safe storage of high-level nuclear waste, since clay minerals in engineered barriers and natural aquifer sediments strongly adsorb cationic species, but to lesser extent anions like selenate (Se^VIO₄²⁻) and selenite (Se^IVO₃²⁻). Previous investigations have demonstrated, however, that Se^IV and Se^VI are reduced by surface-associated Fe^II, thereby forming insoluble Se⁰ and Fe selenides. Here we show that the mixed Fe^II/^III (hydr)oxides green rust and magnetite, and the Fe^II sulfide mackinawite reduce selenite rapidly (< 1 day) to FeSe, while the slightly slower reduction by the Fe^II carbonate siderite produces elemental Se. In the case of mackinawite, both S^−II and Fe^II surface atoms are oxidized at a ratio of one to four by producing a defective mackinawite surface. Comparison of these spectroscopic results with thermodynamic equilibrium modeling provides evidence that the nature of reduction end product in these Fe^II systems is controlled by the concentration of HSe⁻; Se⁰ forms only at lower HSe⁻ concentrations related to slower HSeO₃⁻ reduction kinetics. Even under thermodynamically unstable conditions, the initially formed Se solid phases may remain stable for longer periods since their low solubility prevents the dissolution required for a phase transformation into more stable solids. The reduction by Fe²⁺-montmorillonite is generally much slower and restricted to a pH range, where selenite is adsorbed (pH < 7), stressing the importance of a heterogeneous, surface-enhanced electron transfer reaction. Although the solids precipitated by the redox reaction are nanocrystalline, their solubility remains below 6.3 × 10^− 8 M. No evidence for aqueous metal selenide colloids nor for Se sorption to colloidal phases was found. Since Fe^II phases like the ones investigated here should be ubiquitous in the near field of nuclear waste disposals as well as in the surrounding aquifers, mobility of the fission product ⁷⁹Se may be much lower than previously assumed.     

氯化铁絮凝-直接过滤工艺对地下水中As(Ⅴ)的去除机制研究

为探明氯化铁(Fe Cl3)絮凝-直接过滤工艺对地下水中砷(As)的去除过程及机制,分别进行了批吸附实验、现场絮凝-直接过滤实验、扩展X射线精细结构光谱(EXAFS)及电荷分布多位络合(CD-MUSIC)模拟.采集的地下水样品As主要为五价[As(Ⅴ)],浓度为40μg·L-1.现场柱实验直接过滤工艺中Fe投加量为1.5 mg·L-1,出水As(Ⅴ)浓度均低于10μg·L-1,92 h内可提供64 984 L安全饮用水.固体废物毒性浸出实验表明泥饼浸出液中As浓度为3.4μg·L-1,远低于美国环保署限定值(5 mg·L-1).EXAFS和CD-MUSIC模拟表明Fe Cl3絮凝去除地下水中As(Ⅴ)存在两种机制:在p H 3~9.5范围内,As(Ⅴ)主要以双齿双核吸附在氢氧化铁上;p H9.5时,As(Ⅴ)主要与Ca2+和Mg2+形成沉淀而去除.     

CuO-ZnO催化剂的XRD和EXAFS研究

用XRD和EXAFS方法研究了CuO-ZnO(50:50)CO_2加氢合成甲醇催化剂的结构.XRD研究发现,在催化剂还原前后,分别存在CuO,ZnO和Cu-ZnO晶相.EXAFS研究发现,在CuO-ZnO中,Cu—O,Cu—Cu键长及Cu的氧配位数、Cu的Cu配位数与纯CuO的十分接近,在Cu-ZnO中,Cu—Wu键长、Cu的Cu配位数与纯Cu的十分接近,说明催化剂在还原前后,CU的近邻结构分别与CuO与Cu的十分接近.纯Cu的活性、选择性很低,而Cu-ZnO的活性、选择性较纯Cu的有很大提高,说明催化剂的性能与催化剂中Cu的近邻结构无关.     

用EXAFS研究Zn在水锰矿上的吸附-解吸机理

用延展X光吸收精细结构光谱(EXAFS)研究了重金属Zn(Ⅱ)在水锰矿(γ-MnOOH)上吸附产物的微观结构及其吸附机理.结果表明,Zn(Ⅱ)-水锰矿体系中(pH 7.5,0.1mol/LNaNO₃介质,25℃),Zn²⁺主要是通过共用水合Zn²⁺的O原子及水锰矿表面上的O原子形成Zn-O键,从而结合到水锰矿固体表面上的.平均Zn-O原子间距为1.998±0.010 A(n=3).这个Zn-O键键长是六配位的Zn(H₂O)²⁺₆及其水解产物四配位的Zn(OH)₂或Zn(OH)₄^2-各以一定比例混合吸附于水锰矿表面而形成的.同时,对第二配位层(Zn-Mn相互作用)的EXAFS图谱分析证明存在2个典型的Zn-Mn原子间距,即R₁=3.08±0.024A(n=3)和R2=3.54±0.018 A(n=3).这2个Zn-Mn原子距分别对应于水锰矿结构单元MnO6八面体与Zn水合离子ZnO多面体结合的2种方式,即共用2个O原子的边-边结合与共用1个O原子的角-角结合.边-边结合是较强的吸附位,Zn-Mn原子距较短(R₁=3.08A),吸附较不可逆.角-角结合是较弱的吸附位,Zn-Mn原子距较长(R₂=3.54A),吸附较为可逆.这一结果从微观上证明了亚稳平衡态吸附理论(MEA理论)的基本假设,即具有相同吸附密度的同一吸附质由于吸附力强弱以及微观构型的不同可具有不同的化学位,因而证明了修正传统吸附热力学的基本假设(吸附密度为热力学状态函数)的必要性.宏观的吸附-解吸热力学实验表明Zn(Ⅱ)在水锰矿上的吸附是不可逆的,EXAFS结果指出这种不可逆性主要是由Zn水合离子中ZnO多面体与水锰矿结构单元MnO₆八面体之间的边-边结合所导致的.     

新型低温Fe/AC脱硫剂的研究

将活性焦担载氧化铁制得Fe/AC脱硫剂用于烟气脱硫,在最经济的烟气脱硫温度窗口(120℃～250℃)显示出高的脱硫活性.考察操作条件对其脱硫活性的影响,并借助EXAFS和TPD表征技术对其内在原因进行探讨.Fe/AC脱硫剂在排烟温度下用于脱硫,其活性明显优于活性焦和纯Fe₂O₃,且载体炭无氧化烧损.Fe/AC吸硫后形成2种含硫物质:H₂SO₄和Fe₂(SO₄)₃,H₂O和O₂的存在可增加Fe/AC对SO₂的吸附硫容.由高比表面活性焦制得的Fe/AC有更高的脱硫活性,这源于活性组分Fe₂O₃在其上良好的分散性.Fe/AC用于脱硫应在适宜空速[(800L/(kg·h)]下操作.     

Diphenylarsinic acid sorption mechanisms in soils using batch experiments and EXAFS spectroscopy

• DPAA sorption data was found to fit the Freundlich equation. • K_f was significantly positive correlated with oxalate-extractable Fe₂O₃. • Ligand exchange was the main mechanism for DPAA sorption on soils. • Bidentate binuclear and monodentate mononuclear DPAA bonds were identified. Diphenylarsinic acid (DPAA) is a phenyl arsenic compound derived from chemical warfare weapons. Macroscopic and microscopic work on DPAA sorption will provide useful information in predicting the partitioning and mobility of DPAA in the soil-water environment. Here, batch experiments and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy were used to investigate the sorption mechanisms of DPAA. The DPAA sorption data from 11 soil types was found to fit the Freundlich equation, and the sorption capacity, K_f, was significantly and positively correlated with oxalate-extractable Fe₂O₃. The K_f values of eight of the 11 untreated soils (1.51–113.04) significantly decreased upon removal of amorphous metal (hydr)oxides (0.51–13.37). When both amorphous and crystalline metal (hydr)oxides were removed from the untreated soils, the K_f values either decreased or slightly increased (0.65–3.09). Subsequent removal of soil organic matter from these amorphous and crystalline metal (hydr)oxide-depleted samples led to further decreases in K_f to 0.02–1.38, with only one exception (Sulfic Aquic-Orthic Halosols). These findings strongly suggest that ligand exchange reactions with amorphous metal (hydr)oxides contribute most to DPAA sorption on soils. EXAFS data provide further evidence that DPAA primarily formed bidentate binuclear (²C) and monodentate mononuclear (¹V) coring-sharing complexes with As-Fe distances of 3.34 and 3.66 Å, respectively, on Fe (hydr)oxides. Comparison of these results with earlier studies suggests that ²C and ¹V complexes of DPAA may be favored under low and high surface coverages, respectively, with the formation of ¹V bonds possibly conserving the sorption sites or decreasing the steric hindrance derived from phenyl substituents.     

Assessment of aided phytostabilization of copper-contaminated soil by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and chemical extractions

Field plots were established at a timber treatment site to evaluate remediation of Cu contaminated topsoils with aided phytostabilization. Soil containing 2600 mg kg⁻¹ Cu was amended with a combination of 5 wt% compost and 2 wt% iron grit, and vegetated. Sequential extraction was combined with extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy to correlate changes in Cu distribution across five fractions with changes in the predominant Cu compounds two years after treatment in parallel treated and untreated field plots. Exchangeable Cu dominated untreated soil, most likely as Cu(II) species non-specifically bound to natural organic matter. The EXAFS spectroscopic results are consistent with the sequential extraction results, which show a major shift in Cu distribution as a result of soil treatment to the fraction bound to poorly crystalline Fe oxyhydroxides forming binuclear inner-sphere complexes.     

Groundwater arsenic removal by coagulation using ferric(Ⅲ)sulfate and polyferric sulfate: A comparative and mechanistic study

Elevated arsenic(As) in groundwater poses a great threat to human health. Coagulation using mono- and poly-Fe salts is becoming one of the most cost-effective processes for groundwater As removal. However, a limitation comes from insufficient understanding of the As removal mechanism from groundwater matrices in the coagulation process, which is critical for groundwater treatment and residual solid disposal. Here, we overcame this hurdle by utilizing microscopic techniques to explore molecular As surface complexes on the freshly formed Fe flocs and compared ferric(III) sulfate(FS) and polyferric sulfate(PFS)performance, and finally provided a practical solution in As-geogenic areas. FS and PFS exhibited a similar As removal efficiency in coagulation and coagulation/filtration in a two-bucket system using 5 mg/L Ca(ClO)_2. By using the two-bucket system combining coagulation and sand filtration, 500 L of As-safe water( 10 μg/L) was achieved during five treatment cycles by washing the sand layer after each cycle. Fe k-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure(XANES) and As k-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure(EXAFS) analysis of the solid residue indicated that As formed a bidentate binuclear complex on ferrihydrite, with no observation of scorodite or poorly-crystalline ferric arsenate. Such a stable surface complex is beneficial for As immobilization in the solid residue, as confirmed by the achievement of much lower leachate As(0.9 μg/L–0.487 mg/L)than the US EPA regulatory limit(5 mg/L). Finally, PFS is superior to FS because of its lower dose, much lower solid residue, and lower cost for As-safe drinking water.